Casket lid interior trim including molded padding strips

ABSTRACT

Upholstery for the interior of casket lids including preformed strips which are inserted beneath the lid flanges at the sides and ends thereof. These strips are molded as resilient strips or inserts preferably from suitable foam material, so that they can be stuffed into the spaces or pockets provided by the flanges along the sides and ends of a casket lid or half-lid. They are adapted to be covered by fabric or other flexible decorative material which can be pulled around the inserts and tucked between the resilient inserts and flanges to be gripped therebetween.

llnited States Patent I191 Fen-bei- [451 May 14,1974

1 1 CASKET LID INTERIOR TRIM INCLUDING MOLDED PADDING STRIPS [75] Inventor: Arthur C. Ferber, Canal Winchester, Ohio [73] Assignee: Belmont Casket Manufacturing Company, Columbus, Ohio [22] Filed: July 17, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 272,467

[52} 11.8. C1. 27/19 [51] Int. Cl A6lg 17/04 [58] Field of Search 27/19, 14, 2, 3, 5, 6,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,344,494 10/1967 McClive 27/19 2,867,030 1/1959 Hillenbrand 27/19 3,162,923 12/1964 Kaeser 27/19 1,977,584 10/1934 Hansen 27/19 3,218,688 11/1965 Slaughter 27/19 3,233,302 2/1966 Ross 27/19 Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner-G. F. Dunne Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Mahoney, Miller & Stebens 57] ABSTRACT Upholstery for the interior of casket lids including preformed strips which are inserted beneath the lid flanges at the sides and ends thereof. These strips are molded as resilient strips or inserts preferably from suitable foam material, so that they can be stuffed into the spaces or pockets provided by the flanges along the sides and ends of a casket lid or half-lid. They are adapted to be covered by fabric or other flexible decorative material which can be pulled around the inserts and tucked between the resilient inserts and flanges to be gripped therebetween.

5 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PMHEMM 14 1974 sum 0F &

CASKET LID INTERIOR TRIM INCLUDING MOLDED PADDING STRIPS or half-lid being designed so that it can be swung to an open position for viewing of the corpse. Therefore, the interior of the lid is usually upholstered to make it attraetive. The lids are usually formed with flanges at the sides and ends which produce pockets at those locations and these pockets are ordinarily stuffed with cotton padding which is then covered with a decorative fabric that is brought around the padding and tucked between it and the associated flanges. The stuffing of the cotton padding into the pockets is a timeconsuming hand operation and does not always result in a uniformpadded and wrinkle-free upholstered effeet.

The present invention overcomes these defects by providing the padding in the form of molded inserts of resiliently compressible material, such as foamed plastic'or rubber, which are preformed to fit into the pockets and can be quickly and easily inserted therein and will resiliently contact the walls of the pockets to be retained and to grip and hold the covering fabric which is tucked therein.

The best mode contemplated in carrying out this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a casket with the upper half of the lid open, the upholstery for the halflid being in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure of FIG 1.

FIG. 3 is an inner perspective view of the upper half of the casket lid.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fabrioattaching frame to be secured in the half-lid.

FIG. 5 is an inner perspective view showing the frame secured in the lid.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the padding strips of this invention being inserted in the casket lid.

FIG. 7 is a similar view but showing the strips in their final position.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one of the molded padding strips.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another of the molded padding strips.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken through the strip along line 10-10 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken through the strip along line 1l1l of FIG. 9.

With particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings a casket to which this invention is applied is indicated but it is to be understood that the invention is applicable to other forms of caskets. In this example, the casket is shown as being formed from sheet metal and consisting of a lower main container portion and an upper lid portion consisting of the head halfsection 21 and the foot half-section 22. The present invention is shown applied to the head half-section 21 but in some forms of caskets the lid is continuous and this invention could be applied to the entire lid in that case. The body of the casket lid portion is usually domeshaped and in the example shown it is so shaped. It is arched transversely throughout the greater portion of its length as indicated at 23, in FIG 3, and at its outer end is arched longitudinally, as indicated at 24, the two curves merging, as indicated.

v As previously indicated, the padding of this invention is applied to the sides and ends of the casket lid half-' section'21. The two opposed side strips are identical and are indicated generally by the numeral 25 in FIGS. 1 and 2. The outer end strip is indicated generally by the numeral 26 and is identical to the side strips 25. However, the inner end strip indicated generally at 27, is slightly different from the other strips.

The reason for this difference in the strips is that the peripheral flange on the lid half-section is different at its inner end as compared to the sides and outer end. As indicated, the lid section is usually formed of sheet metal with a depending peripheral flange. The side portions 25a of the flange and the end portion 26a thereof are straight and identical and as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. The flange portion 25a or 26a includes a main transversely curved web portion with an inwardly laterally extending integral flatretaining portion 28 having an integral angularly extending retaining lip 29 at its inner extremity. All flat portions 28 are in a common plane. The flange along with a frame 46 provides a pocket 30 for receiving the side or outer end padding strip of this invention. The inner end portion 27a of the flange is curved or arched out of the common plane of portions 28 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 and includes a main vertical web portion with an inwardly laterally extending integral inner flat extremity retaining portion 31 but does not have the retaining lip 29 as in the side sections. This along with frame 46 provides a pocket 30a for receiving the inner end padding strip of this invention shown in FIG. 6.

As indicated previously the padding strips are formed as molded strips of suitable plastic which is resiliently compressible. It has been found that strips molded from latex or urethane foams are very suitable. The preformed padding strip suitable for insertion in any of the sockets 30 at the sides and outer ends is indicated at 35 in FIGS. 8 and 10 and the preformed padding strip suitable for insertion in the inner end socket 30a is indicated at 36 in FIGS. 9 and 11. All of the strips have angled ends to provide for mitered corners of adjacent strips. Thus, the strip 35 has the properly angled ends 37 and the strip 36 has the properly angled ends 38. The strips 35 and 36 are each of substantial crosssection, but as indicated, their cross-sectional contours are slightly different. The strip 35 is of substantially oval cross-section but is provided with a flattened inner ledge portion 39 extending throughout its length and having a retaining shoulder 40 at the inner termination of the ledge. This provides a relatively sharper insert inner edge or tongue portion 41. The strip 36 is of similar cross-section, being provided with an inner flattened ledge portion 42 extending throughout its length to provide an inner insert tongue portion 43 which in this case has a blunt inner extremity. Thus in both forms, the strip is provided with an inner pocket insert tongue along its inner edge, in the one case being relatively sharp and in the other case relatively blunt, and the sharp tongue being provided with a retaining shoulder extending completely therealong.

The padding is inserted in the respective pockets by inserting the tongue edges while compressing the material so that it will be gripped by the respective laterally extending retaining flange portions 26 and 31 as indicated in FIGS. 6 and 7. The padding is usually covered with cloth or fabric or other suitable material which is indicated at 45 in the drawings.

The fabric can be fastened or anchored in the lid section at one edge by means of a suitable frame 46 which may be of wood or other suitable material. This frame is formed to fit the interior of the lid section 21 and includes straight side and outer end portions 28a and an arched inner end portion 310. It may be secured in position by means of a suitable adhesive which locates its respective portions on the flange portions 25a, 26a and 27a parallel to the lateral retaining flange portions 28 and 31 thereof to aid in forming the respective pockets 30 and 30a. The one edge of the cloth or fabric is secured to the inner side of the strip as by tape and staples at 47 and hangs loosely before insertion of the padding strips, as indicated in FIG. 6. Also at 47, one edge ofa cloth or fabric 45a may be secured to supply a finish covering for the lid dome and be cemented thereto. The padding strip 36 may first be inserted in the pocket 300 by forcing its tongue 43a between the retaining flange portion 31 and cooperating spaced curved retaining surface of the portion 31a of the frame 46 until its blunt leading edge contacts with the vertical inner surface of the web of the flange 27a. It will be apparent that frame end 31a cooperates with the flange portion 31 to provide the pocket 30a. The material of the padding strip 36 will expand and will be automatically gripped between the curved surface of the flange portion 31 and the frame portion 31a, the ledge portion 42 being contacted by portion 31.

Similarly, the side strips 35 and the outer end strip 35 will be inserted in the respective pockets 30. This will be accomplished by forcing the tongue 41 of each between the retaining lip 29 and the cooperating straight parallel surface of the side 28a of the frame 46. The strip 35 is forced into the respective socket 30 until the flange lip 29 snaps over the retaining shoulder 40 of the strip. It will be apparent that the flat surfaces of the frame portions 28a are parallel to the flat retaining flange portions 28 and cooperate therewith to provide the retaining edges of the pockets 30. The material of the strip 35 will expand so that the tongue 41 will be gripped between the flange lip 29 and the parallel surface of the side 28a of the frame.

At this time, the padding will be uncovered. The adjacent angled ends will produce mitered corners, the ends resiliently contacting. The fabric 45 will be loose as indicated in FIG. 6. It may be brought up around the respective strips with its free edges being tucked between the strips and the retaining portions 28 and 31 of the respective flanges 25a, 26a and 27a. The fabric may also be tucked in at the mitered corners. It will be gripped and held in place over the pad strips to present an attractive smooth covering for the padding without using any further fastening means. The manner in which the fabric is gripped is indicated best in FIG. 7.

Thus, the padding can be pre-molded to the proper size and inserted in the receiving pockets along the flange of the casket lid. Each strip need not be of the exact cross-section shown because the form of the flanges on various caskets will vary. However, they will always provide pockets at the ends and sides in which the resiliently compressible padding strips can be inserted. The padding strips will always be molded with an inner edge which can be compressed and inserted in the receiving pocket and which will expand to be automatically retained therein. Certain strips will be provided with the retaining shoulder for engagement by the retaining lip on the lid flange. Also, the ends of the strips will be formed so that adjacent ends of strips will interfit such as at mitered corners. The strips can be formed economically since they can be molded and can be readily inserted thereby reducing the hand operations necessary in upholstering casket lids as compared to prior art methods. For example, the one using cotton padding.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed l. A casket lid having a body with a peripheral flange including a depending web portion and an inwardly laterally extending retaining flange portion, a frame having a retaining peripheral surface located inwardly in spaced relationship to said retaining flange portion, said retaining surface and said retaining flange portion along with said web portion forming an inwardlyopening pad-receiving pocket at the periphery of said casket lid with the retaining surface and retaining flange portion being spaced to receive the pad therebetween when inserted in said pocket, and a pad positioned in said pocket and comprising a body of substantial cross-section of resiliently compressible material, said pad body being preformed to provide an insert tongue portion along its one edge which is inserted into the inwardly opening pocket between said retaining surface and retaining flange portion so it will compress during insertion and then will expand into retaining engagement with said surface and flange portion to be retained in said pocket, said peripheral flange and frame comprising relatively angularly disposed sections providing pocket sections which meet so as to provide corners in the pocket where the pocket sections communicate, said pad being preformed as strip sections which fit into the respective pocketsections and have ends that are in engagement at the corners, the said ends being angled to provide mitered corners at the engaging ends.

2. A casket lid according to claim 1 in which the insert tongue portion is provided with a flat ledge and the retaining flange portion is in flat contact therewith.

3. A casket lid according to claim 2 in which the flat ledge is provided with a retaining shoulder at its inner extremity, and the retaining flange portion is provided with a lip on its inner extremity for interfitting with said retaining shoulder.

4. A casket lid according to claim 1 in which the frame is a fabric-fastening peripheral frame secured within the peripheral flange of the lid to provide said peripheral retaining surface, and a sheet of covering material fastened to said frame, wrapped inwardly around the pad body, and tucked between said retaining flange portion and the pad body.

5. A casket lid having a body with a peripheral flange including a depending web portion and an inwardly laterally extending retaining flange portion, a frame having a retaining peripheral surface located inwardly in spaced relationship to said retaining flange portion, said retaining surface and said retaining flange portion along with said web portion forming an inwardlyopening pad-receiving pocket at the periphery of said casket lid with the retaining surface and retaining flange portion being spaced to receive the pad therebetween when inserted in said pocket, and a pad positioned in said pocket and comprising a body of substantial cross-section of resiliently compressible material, said pad body being preformed to provide an insert tongue portion along its one edge which is inserted into the inwardly opening pocket between said retaining surface and retaining flange portion so it,will compress during insertion and then will expand into retaining engagement with said surface and flange portion to be retained in said pocket, said frame being a fabricfastening peripheral frame secured within the peripheral flange of the lid to provide said peripheral retaining surface, and a sheet of covering material fastened to said frame, wrapped inwardly around the pad body, and tucked between said retaining flange portion and the pad body, said peripheral flange comprising an outer end section and a pair of opposed side sections of identical construction with the retaining flange formed on all of said sections being in a common flat plane, the peripheral flange also including an inner end section with the retaining flange formed thereon curving upwardly out of said plane, said frame having corresponding end and side sections spaced inwardly relative to the peripheral flange sections, said frame sections and the flangesections providing pocket sections which join with each other at adjacent corners, said pad being in the form of separate strips which fit into the respective pocket sections and the adjacent ends of which engage with each other at mitered corners, the retaining flange on the outer end section and side sections of the peripheral flange having a lip on its inner extremity and each of the pad strip sections cooperating therewith having a flat ledge with which the cooperating retaining flange is in flat contact and a retaining shoulder at its inner extremity engaged by said lip, the pad strip section inserted in the inner end pocket section engaging the curved retaining flange on the inner end peripheral flange section and having a ledge surface engaging with said curved retaining flange. 

1. A casket lid having a body with a peripheral flange including a depending web portion and an inwardly laterally extending retaining flange portion, a frame having a retaining peripheral surface located inwardly in spaced relationship to said retaining flange portion, said retaining surface and said retaining flange portion along with said web portion forming an inwardly-opening pad-receiving pocket at the periphery of said casket lid with the retaining surface and retaining flange portion being spaced to receive the pad therebetween when inserted in said pocket, and a pad positioned in said pocket and comprising a body of substantial cross-section of resiliently compressible material, said pad body being preformed to provide an insert tongue portion along its one edge which is inserted into the inwardly opening pocket between said retaining surface and retaining flange portion so it will compress during insertion and then will expand into retaining engagement with said surface and flange portion to be retained in said pocket, said peripheral flange and frame comprising relatively angularly disposed sections providing pocket sections which meet so as to provide corners in the pocket where the pocket sections communicate, said pad being preformed as strip sections which fit into the respective pocket sections and have ends that are in engagement at the corners, the said ends being angled to provide mitered corners at the engaging ends.
 2. A casket lid according to claim 1 in which the insert tongue portion is provided with a flat ledge and the retaining flange portion is in flat contact therewith.
 3. A casket lid according to claim 2 in which the flat ledge is provided with a retaining shoulder at its inner extremity, and the retaining flange portion is provided with a lip on its inner extremity for interfitting with said retaining shoulder.
 4. A casket lid according to claim 1 in which the frame is a fabric-fastening peripheral frame secured within the peripheral flange of the lid to provide said peripheral retaining surface, and a sheet of covering material fastened to said frame, wrapped inwardly around the pad body, and tucked between said retaining flange portion and the pad body.
 5. A casket lid having a body with a peripheral flange including a depending web portion and an inwardly laterally extending retaining flange portion, a frame having a retaining peripheral surface located inwardly in spaced relationship to said retaining flange portion, said retaining surface and said retaining flange portion along with said web portion forming an inwardly-opening pad-receiving pocket at the periphery of said casket lid with the retaining surface and retaining flange portion being spaced to receive the pad therebetween when inserted in said pocket, and a pad positioned in said pocket and comprising a body of substantial cross-section of resiliently compressible material, said pad body being preformed to provide an insert tongue portion along its one edge which is inserted into the inwardly opening pocket between said retaining surface and retaining flange portion so it will compress during insertion and then will expand into retaining engagement with said surface and flange portion to be retained in said pocket, said frame being a fabric-fastening peripheral frame secured within the peripheral flange of the lid to provide said peripheral retaining surface, and a sheet of covering material fastened to said frame, wrapped inwardly around the pad body, and tucked between said retaining flange portion and the pad body, said peripheral flange comprising an outer end section and a pair of opposed side sections of identical construction with the retaining flange formed On all of said sections being in a common flat plane, the peripheral flange also including an inner end section with the retaining flange formed thereon curving upwardly out of said plane, said frame having corresponding end and side sections spaced inwardly relative to the peripheral flange sections, said frame sections and the flange sections providing pocket sections which join with each other at adjacent corners, said pad being in the form of separate strips which fit into the respective pocket sections and the adjacent ends of which engage with each other at mitered corners, the retaining flange on the outer end section and side sections of the peripheral flange having a lip on its inner extremity and each of the pad strip sections cooperating therewith having a flat ledge with which the cooperating retaining flange is in flat contact and a retaining shoulder at its inner extremity engaged by said lip, the pad strip section inserted in the inner end pocket section engaging the curved retaining flange on the inner end peripheral flange section and having a ledge surface engaging with said curved retaining flange. 